WILLOW SPRINGS, Mo. – Three Rivers College and Missouri State University-West Plains officially commemorated the opening of the South Central Education Consortium in Willow Springs with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held July 17. Speakers at the ceremony included Dr. Wesley Payne, Interim President of Three Rivers College; Dennis Lancaster, Interim Dean of Academic Affairs at Missouri State-West Plains; and city and government officials from the area.
“We are proud to be a partner in the effort to bring college and career technical programs to the Willow Springs area,” Payne said. “The programs offered through the Consortium will make a positive difference in the community and especially in the lives of the students we serve.”
“The educational opportunities offered at the Consortium are needed by the people who live in this area, and we applaud the City of Willow Springs for working so hard to make this happen,” said Lancaster.
Also speaking was state Sen. Mike Cunningham, who worked to secure state funds to help open the Consortium, which is housed in a former Missouri Department of Transportation building. “The ribbon cutting today marks a success in pulling partners together for the benefit of the area. It will provide opportunities for area young people to keep them in the community and keep the community strong,” Cunningham said.
The South Central Education Consortium, located at 908 Springfield Road in Willow Springs, is a partnership of Three Rivers College and Missouri State University – West Plains. It offers associate degree, career education, and transfer education opportunities to the Willow Springs area. The Consortium was formed in 2013, and the location’s doors opened in January 2014. The Consortium currently offers EMT, Electrical Technology, HVAC-R Technology, and Plumbing Technology certificate programs, along with transitional and general education courses.
Scott Williamson, Director of the Consortium, said the community should be extremely proud of the facilities at the Consortium, including a public computer lab, a hands-on tech lab for vocational classes, and seven classrooms.
A Registration Event will be held at the Consortium on Tuesday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. At the event, those interested in taking classes can receive information about program offerings, register for courses, and receive help applying for financial aid.
For more information on the Consortium or to schedeule an appointment to register for classes, call 417-469-3000.
For more information on Three Rivers College, call 877-879-8722 or visit trcc.edu.
For more information on Missouri State-West Plains, call 888-466-7897 or visit wp.missouristate.edu.
Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region. For more information about college and workforce programs and upcoming events, visit trcc.edu.
Missouri State-West Plains is a teaching and learning institution that provides quality post-secondary educational opportunities to the communities it serves. Missouri State-West Plains offers associate degrees and credit and non-credit courses and serves as a delivery site for bachelor’s and master’s degrees offered by Missouri State University.
This is a joint news release by Three Rivers College and Missouri State University-West Plains.